Swaying to the Symphony Of Destruction
by The One With A Name
Summary: Do what you need to do, but know this: If you fail, he will destroy everything you love, and then - I will kill you. Inspired by music, mostly heavy metal. If you read, please leave me some sort of legitimate review. I would appreciate it greatly.
1. Chapter 1

It was rainy outside, observed Dr. Leon Powalski. It was rainy on his inside as well. A chameleon in his mid 30's, the reptile had a lot to think about these days, despite being a mortician. His scales were a pale green shade, something people used to associate with his lack of exposure to the sun, back when he talked to people. His tail, of mediary length and curling near the end, followed him like a faithful assistant, as it had for many years. His narrow reptilian eyes seemed sunken, like those of a cynic constantly irritated with the sentiments of the world around him. He carried an air of cold, stoic intelligence, aided by the white labcoat he wore while on duty.

Dr. Powalski wished he could die right now. His wife had walked out on him several months ago, taking their young son with her. Most of Powalski's friends had severed ties with him after he became increasingly antisocial upon taking a job at a local mortuary in Corneria City, a place far from anything he would ever call home. The doctor lived by himself in a nearby apartment, unmentioned by his neighbors, lacking the resolve (but not the desperation) to turn to drugs or alcohol, and finding insufficient significance in his own life to take it by means of suicide. The doctor was trapped in hell, an impression aided in part by the fact that Powalski spent the majority of his work hours around dead people. But at this moment, a ray of light shined through the bleak gray of the doctor's normal daily routine. A ring of the bell at the front roused his attention. It was very possibly another corpse. Gang violence, alcoholism, and other harmful practices were on the rise in lower Corneria City, providing Powalski and local law enforcement with no shortage of work.

But to his surprise, at the front counter was instead a man who looked rather out of place in this setting. He wore casual looking clothing. Jeans and a jacket, with some heavier boots and sunglasses. He appeared too normal to be one of the gangsters or metalheads that frequented these parts. The man was a government agent. Powalski walked into his view, studying him silently. He seemed confident, like he had a purpose, something to go home to every day. It was for this reason Powalski half envied him. As the man studied him back, he initiated the introduction.

"Dr. Leon Powalski, mortician, I presume?" He inquired.

"Yes." Replied Leon dryly.

"Special Agent Matthew Anderson, Cornerian Security Agency." He pulled out a badge and handed it to Powalski. A government agent, just as he had presumed. "I'm here to inspect some of your newer, um, subjects for clues to an ongoing investigation."

"You mean the viral outbreak on Fichina? News has gotten around." The recent accidental release of an experimental airborne toxin on Fichina had left a number of people, alive and dead, carrying the lethal virus elsewhere, so it was only natural that such an inspection would come about.

"May I take a look around?"

"Of course." Replied Powalski, motioning to the back.

Agent Anderson seemed easy to please. He walked down each row of corpses, inspecting the tagged feet of the subjects. At last, one seemed to catch his eye. A foot, halfway down the row against the wall, covered in gray fur. The agent walked towards it and placed his hand on the foot, as if inspecting it for signs of life. His ears perked up upon touching it, however, but the response came too late to avoid the syringe Dr. Powalski plunged into his neck. Anderson reeled in surprise and stumbled against an adjacent cart. He looked in surprise as the body he had been inspecting came alive.

The figure that emerged was an older, very disgruntled-looking wolf. He wore no shirt or shoes, but he wore a pair of brown pants and an eyepatch over his left eye. The gun in his right hand now hung at his side as he knelt in front of the now convulsing agent, who just looked on in shock. After several tense moments, through which Powalski simply stood back looking shocked, the wolf spoke.

"Matt, I'm so sorry."

Within a few more seconds, Agent Anderson was dead. The imposing lupine rose and casually turned to Powalski.

"Have you made up your mind yet? Are you gonna keep doing this and pretending you aren't who you are, or are you going to do what you have to do?" He asked. Powalski looked contemptuously at the wolf, then at the fresh body, then finally turned to walk towards a nearby sheet while answering:

"A government agent is dead. I'll dump him with the next load, but I don't think I'll be able to deny this once they come looking for our friend here." He placed the sheet over the agent, whom he had placed on an empty cart.

"Well, whatever your choice, I have the sample. The shuttle leaves tomorrow at nine at Sylen Station. If you want to do something significant, you'll get on it. If not, then you've outlived your usefulness, and you'll rot and die in this hole. Take your pick."

The wolf walked towards the back door and left without a sound. Powalski stumbled towards the wall and sunk down to a sitting position, where he showed his first bit of real emotion in years. Leon Powalski began to cry.

****************************

Fox McCloud, 21, sat down into his chair in the meeting room to which he was called. A young, rather unoriginally named vulpine, McCloud was the image of an eager young soldier boy. Bright orange fur, radiant, youthful green eyes, and a constant half relaxed mannerism seemed to pervade the room while he was present. He was a pilot-in-training at the Cornerian Military Academy, and a prodigy, an attribute many credited to his father, the legendary fighter James McCloud. Fox was clad in a white T-shirt and blue pants, the common on-base uniform of Academy students. He seemed to be growing impatient waiting for the man who had called him for, until at long last, he appeared.

The figure who joined McCloud in the room was clad in full military dress garb, showing his various decorations. He was a hare who looked to be in his mid-40s, who carried himself with the pride of a seasoned solider, complete with all the internal scars of battle. He was Peppy Hare, a friend of Fox's father's, who had been around quite a lot since Fox's childhood, along with his father's other close friends, Pigma Dengar and Matthew Anderson, the latter of whom had been killed last night at a mortuary in the lower city. Peppy sat down as he and Fox looked at each other.

"Peppy, what's goin' on here?" Fox inquired. Peppy looked back at him as he placed a file on the table next to himself.

"Fox, James...Your father is dead." Fox remained silent as he looked down. He wouldn't cry out now. That would wait until later. Right now, he had to cope with this news. Tears started to well up, despite his best wishes, but he continued to try and reason with himself as Peppy granted him a moment's reprieve. At length, Fox replied.

"You heard about Matthew Anderson, didn't you?" He asked Peppy. Peppy looked away, clearly struggling to keep his composure.

"Yes. I've lost two friends this week."

"How did it happen?" Inquired Fox hesitantly.

"Fox, don't be getting any ideas-"

"Peppy, how did my father die?" After a pause, Peppy answered the young man.

"We were betrayed on an assignment in the Venomian sector. By Pigma Dengar. He turned us over to the mad scientist we were sent to capture. He shot James in the head before I managed to escape through a window. This visit was James' last request." He answered. Fox's grip on the table tightened. Pigma Dengar was a man his father had trusted, had worked with for many years. The thought that such scum existed that would betray a friendship like that for a quick buck from a psychotic madman made Fox thirsty for blood. The blood of a traitorous pig. After his anger had subsided, another question entered his mind.

"What's so important about this meeting? Did you just come to tell me about my dad?"

"No. I'm here to talk to you about something confidential. You see, the man we were sent to track was classified before as a level 3 threat to system-wide security. But since the death of a top-level government agent at his hands, and in light of some information we've recovered regarding him, he's been moved up to a level 5 security threat."

"Level 5?! That makes him one of the most dangerous men in the system!"

"He is. It's what I'm here to talk to you about. We...are putting together a team, with the special purpose of taking this man down. I'm offering you my personal recommendation in your father's absence, and Matthew Anderson gave his as well prior to his death."

"Wait...what? What makes you think you can just take me out of the Academy and make me some kind of secret agent? What if this isn't what I want?" Fox replied angrily. Peppy sighed and pushed the manila folder he had brought with him over to Fox.

"I thought you might have wanted a chance to finish what James started. That is a list of the other potential members of the team. They're specialists in their fields, and you'll be working with them closely if you choose to accept." Fox looked over the people listed in the file. An ex-convict from Zoness named Falco Lombardi was to be the vehicle and heavy weapons expert. A technological prodigy named Slippy Toad, the son of the famous inventor Beltino Toad was to be the technical expert and field operator. Peppy was to be the senior advisor and official team leader. Fox was, of course, intended to be the field leader and pointman. But it was the next name that made him groan. Krystal Lambert, Fox's ex-girlfriend and another prodigy of the Academy, was to act as co-field leader and operative.

"So, a gang member fresh out of the Zoness prison system, a nerdy frog, and my ex-girlfriend. That's all you have to offer me?"

"I'm offering you retribution. We already have our first lead. If you want to follow up on this, give me a call."

"Dad was a government agent. I knew his day was coming, and so did he. He knew the risks, why spill even more blood over this?"

"This man will kill us all if you do nothing. That's the blood that will be spilled if you continue to play the part of the blind man, Fox."

"You need three recommendations from senior officers for my transfer anyway. Who do you think's gonna be your third?" He demanded. Peppy looked at him regretfully as he got up to leave.

"I don't know. If you call later, we'll work this out. Please, don't let James' death be in vain." Peppy walked out of the room as officiously as he had entered. Fox looked down at the ground, trying still to grasp the gravity of the things that had just been laid out to him. At last, he decided it was time for him to go as well, got up, and ambled toward the exit. No sooner had he left, however, than he ran into a large man.

"I'm sorry, sir." He said hastily as he rushed on past. But before he had taken another step, the man's voice called out to him.

"Fox?!"

Fox turned to look at him, and was stunned with shock. The man before him was a tall wolf who seemed to be getting towards 50 years of age. His fur was well-groomed at present, but looked as if until recently, it had been very unkempt and disheveled. He made an imposing figure, wearing full military garb with nearly as many decorations, maybe more, than Peppy. He also wore a black cloth eyepatch over his left eye. The man was Major Wolf Scott O'Donnell.

"Wolf!" Exclaimed Fox. Wolf had acted, along with Fox's own father, as Fox's mentor of sorts in his younger years. Although Wolf O'Donnell and James McCloud didn't see eye-to-eye on many things, they had managed to find a common bond: their interest in Fox. Fox always recalled that his father didn't particularly like the lessons he was given by Wolf, but they had been a large part of what had carved him into the soldier he was now. Wolf had vanished when Fox was fourteen years old, having been called to a station on some far-off planet. Fox hadn't heard from him until now. The two shook hands and embraced as a long-delayed greeting.

"What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in years!"

"I heard about what happened to your father, and to Matthew Anderson. I returned to Corneria to pay my respects. What's been going on with you, kid?"

"Not a whole lot. Peppy just laid the news about my dad on me."

"You have my most sincere condolences. But you look like you're thinking about something else." He said. Fox looked at the lupine quizzically. He was much sharper than Fox had remembered.

"Yeah...Peppy offered me a shot at the one who killed him. But I don't know. I'd be turning my back on everything I've built here. I don't know if I'm ready to do that." Said Fox. Wolf looked at him as if he were thinking hard about something, then went on.

"Hm. Maybe we can talk about it later. I have somewhere I need to be going to right now. It was good talking to you, though, Fox."

"Yeah, you too, Wolf. I'll see you around, hopefully." He said, walking over. It was incredibly good to see an old friend right now. But he needed time right now to think by himself. He would go to his dorm and decide there what stomach-wrenching turn his life would take next.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **Ah, I thought I'd get this out of the way. I understand this chapter took me a while, but that's the way I do. I put it off for weeks, then one day get inspired, and write a whole chapter in a few hours, then start over. But anyway, this is the chapter that pretty much sets up the rest of the story, so you may be referring back to it from time to time, assuming I don't change my vision of the story on a random whim in the future. Also, I did give Krystal the random surname Lambert for the sake of this story. It's in no way official, but little of this is, so bleh. Anyhow, I listened almost solely to the Megadeth album 'Rust In Peace' while writing this, so if you like to listen to some music while you read, that's some good stuff. (But In My Darkest Hour from 'So Far, So Good...So What?' and Devil's Island and Good Mourning/Black Friday from 'Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?' are brilliant as well. This isn't a paid advertisement, I swear.) Enjoy!

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Fox sat alone in his dorm at his computer, taking in all that had happened today. Dad's death, Peppy's proposition, Wolf's reappearance, it was all very confusing. He watched the computer monitor closely, deciding carefully what to write. Fox maintained a weekly blog via the internet, which various friends read and took interest in. He wanted to keep all that was happening under wraps, as he should, but he tried to hint, at least subtly, at the way he felt. Writing was an art that had come easily to him since he was little. Many people had complimented him on it, although he didn't think it was that difficult, so he had decided to make it a regular thing. But his outpouring of emotions was interrupted when a window appeared on his screen, bearing text.

_How have you been doing, Fox? I'm going to a party at Christie's tomorrow with my new boyfriend. I thought you might want to meet him. Get back to me if you're interested._

Krystal. Fox really hated her. When he read the part of the message about her new boy-toy, he almost wanted to throw up, but didn't deem her worth the food he'd be regurgitating. He wanted so badly to tell her how much contempt he held for her, but always seemed to find something holding him back. Krystal, however, had no qualms about openly tormenting Fox over the fact that he hadn't fully let go of her yet. This, rubbing a new boyfriend in his face, was the least of the things she had done to lash out at him. He had taken it all, like a gorilla on the ground, quietly letting the snake strike him over and over again. He probably couldn't do much to her anyway, as she had been the smarter and sharper-tongued of the two when they were together.

Fox closed with disgust off of his computer. He would finish his blog later, he didn't feel like writing anymore. Maybe he would sleep or some such. But then a knock at his door told him his next move. He went to open it and see if it was anyone he felt like talking to. It was Wolf.

"Wolf, I wasn't expecting to see you by here tonight." Exclaimed Fox.

"I know. I need to speak with you. May I come in?"

"Of course, have a seat." Once they were situated inside Fox's dorm room, Wolf began.

"Fox, the job Peppy offered you, the special team designed for combating the mad scientist. Have you thought about it?"

"Well, yeah, I guess so."

"Good. I'm here to tell you that you must accept the job."

"What?! Wolf, what are you talking about?"

"Listen to me, Fox. Your father-James and I never saw eye to eye. We disagreed on a number of things, mainly our methods of teaching you. But in spite of our differences, I had a tremendous respect for your father. He was a great fighter. But that isn't what I came here to tell you, what I came here to tell you is this. When I transferred off of Corneria, I was placed in charge of an installation on Macbeth, on the other side of the system. My base was the last stop your father and his companions made on their way to Venom. While he was there, James and I talked some more. He gave me something for you in case he didn't make it back-a message, and these." He held out to Fox two photographs. The first was himself several months ago. He was on the beach with Krystal, with his best friend Bill and some others in the background. He and Krystal looked like genuine lovers, both of them appearing as if nothing could make them unhappy. Fox knew the photo well. It used to sit on top of his dresser, where he would look at it every morning. It was long gone now, of course. The other photograph depicted Fox's father, James McCloud, with his old friend Matthew Anderson. It was a surprise photograph taken on an assignment around the same time as the picture of Fox and Krystal, so neither was smiling. Anderson appeared to be pointing out something while James silently pondered. Fox didn't understand the significance of either picture, and he figured Wolf didn't either. He looked up at length and continued.

"And the message?"

"He said, 'Look at these photos, reflect, and then stop him'. Fox, James understood how dangerous this man is, and he wanted you to take over in fighting that madman once he was no longer able to. You were his son, so you must understand that he would never ask you to do this if it wasn't absolutely necessary. That's why I came here. To tell you that if you want to honor your father's legacy, you'll finish his fight. Nobody else will."

"Let me guess, you've given me your senior officer recommendation?"

"Yes. I can't tell you what to do, but I thought you might want to know what he wanted. What _he_ would tell you to do. You're a good kid, Fox. I hope you do the right thing." He said.

"Thanks, Wolf." Said Fox airily, seeming somewhat spaced out. The two men rose and embraced once more before exchanging goodbyes as Wolf left the dormitory. Fox returned to the room and sank down in a chair. He pulled out his phone and looked at it, the struggle over what to do tearing him apart now more than ever.

********************************

Fox stepped out of his car and onto the pavement, looking up at the bar, the place where Peppy had instructed him to come. It was a midtown bar, attracting less of the terribly unsavory characters, but still somehow enough to make it seem like a less than fitting place for the first meeting of a clandestine government strike team. Despite his doubts as to whether he had been given the right address, Fox entered the building.

Inside was more or less what he expected. Most of the patrons were sitting alone, silently drinking their troubles away. But of course, there were the few who were being rather rowdy, being loud, pushing each other around and the like. As Fox walked through, he bumped into one of the more quiet ones, a tall weasel in a suit, who quickly rounded on him.

"Watch where you're goin', asshole!" He barked at Fox. Fox quickly and reluctantly apologized and made his way further in, where he felt a hand on his shoulder. A familiar voice spoke to him.

"Fox, I'm glad you made it. Right this way." It was Peppy, wearing casual clothes, and beckoning Fox toward a door to the left of the bar. He followed the man into a sort of back room, rectangular with a table in the center. There were several characters standing in that room, but one particular sight made him sick.

It was Krystal, who looked as beautiful as she always had. She wore short shorts and a small purple t-shirt, allowing one to see just how fit she was. But what made him sick was the figure she was draped over like a blanket. He was a handsome blue-feathered falcon, clad in jeans and a black sleeveless t-shirt. He was muscular and looked very confident, as did Krystal, whose expression seemed only to become more smug and victorious upon spying Fox's face. The other figure in the room was a frog of slightly below average height. He wore a large yellow shirt and pants sloppily held up by a belt. Peppy motioned around with his hand as he introduced the ones Fox didn't know.

"This," He said, motioning towards the frog, "is Slippy Toad, our tech and mechanical expert. His father is Beltino Toad, the head of the interplanetary technological corporation Toad Industries. And this," He motioned now towards the bird, Krystal's latest puppet, "is Falco Lombardi, our vehicular expert, who also has some extensive mechanical knowledge."

"Where'd you become such an expert on vehicles, I wonder?" Inquired Fox snidely. Falco raised an eyebrow at the vulpine.

"I bet you'd like to know, wouldn't ya? Just leave that stuff to me and do whatever it is they've got you here for." He replied. Fox angrily opened his mouth to respond, but Krystal beat him to it.

"Oh, Fox, try not to nag too much. I seem to remember that your ego got in the way of a lot of things before. Do at least try to restrain yourself here." Interjected the vixen. Fox was about to reply something nasty when Peppy interrupted.

"Enough, you three. Let me make this perfectly clear: your personal relationships are not going to interfere with our mission. We're doing something important. Can you work together or am I going to replace the lot of you?"

"No...we're fine." Said Fox, still resentful, but ready to get to business.

"Right, then it's time you all understood what we're here to do." Peppy laid on the table a photograph of an older primate in a labcoat. "This is Andross Oikonny. He used to be the head scientist of the Cornerian R&D Department. Now he's a vicious criminal who stands in violation of at least eleven Fortuna Conventions. He was banished to Venom on the outskirts of the system years ago, but has resurfaced. Around a year ago, a patrol reported suspicious activity in that sector. Around this same time, we lost track of Oikonny. So, after much deliberation, a group of agents including myself were sent to Venom to investigate. We located Andross and verified that he is indeed illegally amassing a force to achieve an as yet unknown end. We also found out that he is constructing a superweapon of unknown nature. Unfortunately, before we could find Oikonny and uncover further intelligence, one of our agents defected, leaving one of us dead. I barely managed to escape. It is for the purpose of apprehending this man and halting his war machine that the four of you have been assembled."

"Wait a minute, Captain Hare." Said Slippy Toad after a long silence. "Are you telling us that this guy, Oikonny, is plotting a systemwide war? To try and conquer or destroy Lylat? How big is this?"

"We don't know, exactly. All we have for the time being are several individuals who we've verified are aligned with him. The first is Pigma Dengar, a former Cornerian agent and friend of mine. He betrayed us and joined Oikonny during our investigation, in the process murdering one of our closest mutual friends, James McCloud." Fox's fist clenched and he felt his whole body start burning with rage. He noticed Krystal looking at him with, possibly for the first time since their breakup, genuine emotion.

"Fox, I...I had no idea. I'm so sorry." She said sympathetically. Fox cringed at the thought of garnering her sympathy.

"What else?" He asked of Peppy. Peppy looked at him regretfully and continued.

"It can be assumed that Dengar is currently in hiding with Oikonny himself."

"Then he ain't much of a lead, is he?" Interrupted Falco.

"Watch your mouth, you're a soldier now, you'll conduct yourself like one." Retorted Peppy. Falco scoffed and gave a nonchalant "Whatever..."-type response as Peppy continued.

"Another accomplice we have is Oikonny's nephew, Andrew Oikonny. He is known to have been involved in the Katinian government, but he has disappeared upon investigation and his whereabouts are currently unknown. There is an unidentified other man known to be one of Oikonny's highest officers. It can be assumed that he is dangerous, as he has evaded all attempts to locate or even identify him. The only other potential lead we have is this man." He slid onto the table a photo of an aging, quite morbid-looking chameleon. "His name is Leon Powalski. He is the mortician at the lower-city mortuary. He's gone missing since the discovery of a dead federal agent in his workplace. Investigating Powalski's mortuary will be our first assignment. I've sent you all directions via email. We'll meet at the mortuary at 1400 hours. That's 2:00 for you less informed individuals. I suggest you all go prepare. Dismissed."

Fox remained for a moment as the others gathered their things to depart. While he stood, Krystal and Falco came up to him.

"Fox," Krystal began, "I'm sorry about your father. But if you want to be on this team, I do hope you won't get so sentimental as to compromise what we're doing here."

"I don't need anyone to tell me that, least of all you." Snarled Fox. Krystal shrugged and continued walking.

"Fine, we won't talk about it any more. Falco, baby, let's go." As Falco passed by, he and Fox locked gazes.

"If you do anything to hurt her, I'll kill ya." Said Falco evenly so that Krystal couldn't hear.

"It's not her you ought to be worried about. Watch your own back." Replied Fox. Falco grunted and resumed following Krystal. Fox left the room before Peppy could tell him anything similar to what Krystal had said, wanting now to just get out of there. He would go home, shower, and prepare for his first assignment as part of this new team. This was starting to sound worse all the time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Hm, I don't like the way this chapter turned out as well as the others. I wasn't able to write as much about the events in this chapter for some reason. The heated discussion at the end needs some work too. I'll probably end up revising it some time in the future. Anyway, I've noticed a startling lack of reviews. I can't know what to improve on without good reviews, so let 'em rip! Anyway, here it is.

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He felt the water through his fur, running over the skin beneath more thoroughly than any person ever could. At length, Fox stepped from the shower and dried himself thoroughly before donning clothes: a white undershirt with a brown jacket and jeans. Simple, but effective. Once the task of dressing was finished and he was done installing his rather important personal possessions (wallet, phone, etc), he returned to the main part of his room. He was about to head out for the mortuary when something caught his eye on top of his dresser. It was the two photos Wolf had passed to him from his father. As he picked them up and looked at them again, the words his father had passed to him came into his mind. 'Look at these photos, reflect, and then stop him'. He would do this, but only for dad, nothing else. Fox deposited the two photos into his wallet and continued on his way from the dorm.

*********************************

When he arrived at the mortuary, Peppy and Slippy were already waiting. Falco and Krystal showed up about five minutes later. Fox preferred not to ponder why they were late. As soon as the group was assembled, Peppy began the briefing.

"Right, Falco and Slippy, you stay here at the front and inform me of any trouble on the street. Krystal, go to the rear entrance and watch the alley. Fox, you're with me inside. Let's move."

"Hold up. We just get to sit around out here?" Inquired Falco.

"Yes, and I would advise you do it without complaining. Move out." Ordered Peppy. Krystal, Peppy, and Fox went to their posts, leaving Falco and Slippy standing alone. Falco looked over at his new partner.

"You're the techie, huh?"

"Yeah. You're the carjacker, right?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. Alright, I'll stay here at the front, you go to the car and pop out if anything happens to me."

Meanwhile, Fox and Peppy entered the main part of the mortuary, where they found numerous police officers inspecting corpses. One of them, a man not quite portly, but not exactly fit either, approached the pair upon catching sight of them and addressed Peppy.

"Jim Taglione, chief of police. You guys the agents the General talked about, here to look for Powalski?"

"Yes. Special Agent Peppy Hare, this is my associate, Special Agent McCloud. Have you found anything?"

"McCloud? As in, James McCloud?" Upon receiving nothing but a glare, he promptly answered the question. "Yeah, we found a small device on Agent Anderson's boot. Not sure what it is." He extended his hand, showing the device to Peppy, who seemed to recognize it instantly.

"May I have this device for our investigation?" He asked.

"Sure thing. If you get a lead, be sure to tell us." Peppy nodded and set off in the other direction, with Fox in tow. At last, after a few minutes of standing there with Peppy inspecting the device, Fox's curiosity got the best of him.

"Pep, what is that thing?"

"It's a micro recording device. Matt kept one on him at most times, as most agents of my generation do. It should have recorded everything that happened on the night of Matt's death, but it looks like it's been damaged somewhat. We can probably get some information out of it, anyway. I have a device for playing it in my car, let's go." He said. Fox didn't fully catch all of what he said, but it made enough sense. As they exited, Falco seemed to be talking eagerly to Slippy via radio about car parts before being dispatched by Peppy to fetch Krystal. Slippy greeted them by following them to Peppy's car to listen to the recording. Peppy placed it into the rather odd device that would play it, and static came over the radio, ceasing only to reveal a few words here and there. "Anderson...Outbreak...Sorry...Sylen Station...". Peppy looked at the rest of the team as Falco and Krystal arrived.

"Damn. Slippy, do you think you can repair this?" He shot at the frog.

"Not with what I have right now, but I can send it to my dad. I bet he can repair it."

"Excellent. In any case, it gave us our next lead. We're heading to Sylen Station."

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It was around 6:00 when the team reached Sylen Station. Named for an ancient patriot, Sylen Station was the main interplanetary transport station in Corneria City. Located in the midtown, it sat upon a small hill, almost like an acropolis watching over the rest of the Corneria City midtown. Behind the grand front entrance was a large multi-leveled hall with doors leading to several terminals. At the end of the main hall was a food court, with a staircase leading up to the control tower, from which one could observe all the ferrys arriving and taking off, as well as all happenings within the station itself. Fox stood inside the control tower with Peppy. Falco and Krystal were downstairs in the food court, while Slippy watched the car. It was a lovely view from here, mused Fox, watching at the ships rise and fall against the sunset backdrop. After a few minutes, he became more aware of the goings-on inside the room. Peppy was going over a number of security camera recordings with the stationmaster, until he finally stopped, pointing to a figure in a long black coat stepping onto a transport.

"There! I think that's our man. See, there's something below the bottom of the coat, that's probably his tail. See how it curls? What's that transport number?" He read the ID number on the transport aloud. "Now, where is that bound to, do you think? The Richards Space Colony? In the Meteo field? Shit. Well, thanks for your time, sir. We'll be on our way." He motioned to Fox with his head and they departed. As they descended into the food court, Falco and Krystal joined them. Once outside, they regrouped with Slippy and Peppy explained the situation.

"It appears that after killing Matt, Powalski fled to Richards Space Colony." Upon hearing this, Falco's head snapped up.

"Richards Colony? If we're going there, we'll probably run into trouble. That place is crawling with scum who would sympathize with a murdering psychopath like Powalski."

"I understand that you, Mr. Lombardi, have connections there?" Said Peppy, more a statement than a question. Fox glared at the bird accusingly.

"Yeah, I know some people. I'll take care of it." He said.

"Good. We'll call it a day for now. Tomorrow, we're moving out, so I suggest you all pack." With that, Peppy walked to the car. Fox approached Falco.

"So, exactly what kind of 'connections' is it you have at Richards Colony? Some of your gang members, maybe some of your gangbanger friends?"

"I don't think we want to talk about this." Replied Falco.

"Are you sure? Because I'm quite eager to hear about what you plan to do to help us there. How do we know you're not going to turn us over to Oikonny himself for a quick buck?"

"Step off, Fox!" Interrupted Krystal. "You-" Falco waved his hand at her, signaling her to let him take care of it.

"Do you want to know why I did my two years in jail?"

"Yes, why don't we hear that story?"

"I did those two years for doing some terrible things. I destroyed people's lives. In my time as a thug, I committed murder, arson, the works. And I did it for the family. You wanna know why I only got two years?" He asked. Fox continued to stare at him. "My sentence got reduced because I turned myself in and sold out my gang. I helped them arrest some of the worst criminals on Zoness. And in return, they let me off with only two years in prison. So yeah, I did some bad things. I was a bad guy. But I'm trying really hard to make a new life for myself. Now, taking down this guy, Andross Oikonny, isn't gonna change what I did. But it's sure as hell gonna start me down the path I want to go down. That's why I agreed to take this job. But I think I might have thought twice about it if Krystal had told me that her _prick_ of an ex-boyfriend was gonna be giving me even more grief about those years than I give myself! So why don't you get over her and live with this!" He yelled. Fox was furiously fighting the urge to punch him in the face, but in spite of everything, Falco was right. He needed to be able to live with these two, no matter how sickening it was.

"Falco, honey, let's get out of here." Said Krystal, as the two of them walked off while eyeing Fox angrily. Fox did feel like kind of a jerk now, but he didn't have time to make it up to them now. He had to go home and pack. Hopefully he would feel slightly less shitty tomorrow.


End file.
